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Avianca is Colombia's flag carrier and national airline and one of the largest airlines in South America. Although many readers based in the U.S. may have never flown with the airline, savvy points and miles collectors are aware of its loyalty program, LifeMiles.
The program has become quite popular among points and miles enthusiasts due to its numerous sweet spots and excellent flight redemptions on its partner carriers. An unexpected 2024 devaluation worsened some of the best opportunities to redeem miles. But there are plenty of ways to still get value from this program.
Avianca is a part of Star Alliance, meaning LifeMiles can be redeemed for travel on any alliance member airline to destinations all over the globe. Add in the ease with which you can collect LifeMiles and the lack of carrier-imposed fuel surcharges, and Avianca LifeMiles is easily a top choice for booking domestic and international award travel.
In this post, we'll walk through the Avianca LifeMiles award chart and highlight some of the best LifeMiles redemptions.
Page Contents
- How To Earn Avianca LifeMiles
- Avianca LifeMiles Award Charts
- Best Value Avianca LifeMiles Sweet Spots
- Domestic United awards from 6,500 LifeMiles
- Los Angeles to Hawaii in economy from 15,000 LifeMiles
- Northeastern U.S. to Europe for 22,500 LifeMiles in economy, 45k in business class
- U.S. to South America, starting at 35k LifeMiles in business class
- New York to Cairo in business class from 70,000 LifeMiles
- U.S. to Eastern Europe (and beyond) in business class for 70k LifeMiles (or less)
- U.S. to Europe in Lufthansa First Class for 120k LifeMiles
- U.S. to the Middle East in business class for 78k LifeMiles
- U.S. to Australia or New Zealand in business class for 80k LifeMiles
- Europe to India in first class for just 60k LifeMiles
- Europe to Japan in business class for 75k LifeMiles
- Benefits and Pitfalls of the Avianca LifeMiles Program
- Bottom Line
How To Earn Avianca LifeMiles
There are dozens of ways in which you can earn Avianca LifeMiles. The LifeMiles program has no shortage of partners — ranging from other airlines to department stores.
You can earn LifeMiles on all Avianca and Star Alliance flights and credit stays at IHG properties to LifeMiles as well. However, there are even easier ways to amass a significant stash of Avianca LifeMiles.
Transfer flexible rewards points to LifeMiles
Avianca partners with several reward programs, enabling members to transfer their points to their LifeMiles account as follows:
As a partner of multiple bank rewards programs, Avianca LifeMiles is one of the most accessible airline mileage programs. In addition, the list opens up some exciting possibilities for anyone looking to combine flexible points from multiple programs to accumulate enough miles for an award flight.
Related: How To Consolidate Transferable Points for an Award Ticket
Buy Avianca LifeMiles outright — sometimes with a bonus
Avianca is known for running pretty lucrative buy LifeMiles promotions, allowing members to rack up tens (or hundreds) of thousands of bonus LifeMiles when purchasing them outright. It's not uncommon for Avianca to run these promotions at various times throughout the year. However, members can purchase LifeMiles at any time, even if there's no ongoing incentive. Here's the link to do so.
If you plan on purchasing LifeMiles, we highly recommend waiting for one of these promotional offers. Avianca often offers promotions that allow members to get up to a 200% bonus when they purchase LifeMiles.
If you cannot wait for one of these promotions, you can purchase LifeMiles anytime, starting at 3.3 cents per mile. This is a high rate for buying miles, especially in comparison to promotional periods in which LifeMiles are commonly available for much less.
Sign up for a co-branded Avianca LifeMiles credit card
An easy way to earn LifeMiles without transferring points is to apply for a co-branded Avianca credit card. Avianca offers two credit cards for U.S. applicants, each offering a sizable sign-up bonus. Here's a quick overview of the welcome offer and the long-term earning rates.
- Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days plus an additional 40,000 miles after spending $25,000 in the first 365 days.
- Earning rates: 3x on all Avianca and LifeMiles purchases, 2x on travel and restaurants, and 1x on everything else.
- Annual fee: $249
- Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 40,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.
- Earning rates: 2x on all Avianca and LifeMiles purchases, 2x on groceries and restaurants, and 1x on everything else.
- Annual fee: $99
- 3x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
- 2x on travel and restaurants
- 1x on everything else
- 2x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
- 2x on groceries and restaurants
- 1x on everything else
Avianca LifeMiles Award Charts
Despite changes over the years, LifeMiles remains a strong program. Award flights on Avianca are priced dynamically. Partner awards are based on an unpublished and complicated award chart. We have done our best to piece the data together based on data collected across thousands of searches.
We've summarized some of the LifeMiles prices in two charts: one for flights to/from the U.S. lower 48 to destinations worldwide and another for domestic flights wholly within the continental United States.
LifeMiles award chart to/from the continuous United States
| From U.S. Lower 48 to | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada, Mexico & Caribbean | 6,500-18,000 | 15,000-30,000 | N/A |
| Hawaii | 22,500 (except LAX-Hawaii for 15k and Hawaii-LAX for 16k) | 40,000 | N/A |
| Central America | 12,500-20,000 | 30,000-40,400 | N/A |
| Colombia, Ecuador, Peru | 16,000-30,030 | 35,000-39,200 | N/A |
| Rest of South America | 30,000 | 60,000 | N/A |
| Newark (EWR) - London (LHR) | 22,500 | 45,000 | --- |
| New York (JFK) - Zurich (ZRH) | 27,500 | 55,000 | --- |
| New York (JFK) - Geneva (GVA) | 30,000 | 60,000 | --- |
| New York (JFK) - Lisbon (LIS) | 32,500 | 65,000 | --- |
| Rest of Europe | 35,000-44,000 | 69,000-75,000 | 120,000 |
| Middle East, Caucasus countries, and Northern Africa | 42,500 | 78,000 (except JFK-CAI for 70k) | ~100,000 |
| Rest of Africa | 40,000 | 78,000 | --- |
| North Asia | 45,000-47,000 (except LAX/SFO/SEA for 40k) | 90,000 (except LAX/SFO for 85k) | 120,000 |
| Central Asia | 47,000 | 90,000 | 120,000 |
| South Asia | 47,000 | 90,000 | --- |
| Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania | 40,000 (except LAX-AKL for 35k and AKL-LAX for 36k) | 80,000 | --- |
As you can see in the chart above, LifeMiles prices certain routes differently than other routes between the same regions. For simplicity, we've put price ranges where appropriate to capture the vast majority of prices between each set of regions. But there are times when you may see both lower prices or higher prices than what is given in the table above.
LifeMiles award chart for U.S. domestic flights
For the domestic chart, Avianca divides the United States into three regions and prices awards (sort of) accordingly. Here are the states that are in each region:
- Region 1: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia
- Region 2: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin
- Region 3: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, Washington
| Departing Region | Arriving in Region 1 | Arriving in Region 2 | Arriving in Region 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | 7,500 in economy, 15,000 in first | 10,000 in economy, 15,000 in first | 12,500 in economy, 25,000 in first |
| Region 2 | 10,000 in economy, 15,000 in first | 7,500 in economy, 15,000 in first | 12,500 in economy, 25,000 in first |
| Region 3 | 12,500 in economy, 25,000 in first | 12,500 in economy, 25,000 in first | 7,500 in economy, 15,000 in first |
For the domestic U.S. chart, there is some variation as well. As an example, you can snag some short hops in United economy for as few as 6,500 LifeMiles. Conversely, there are cases where you'll have to cough up 13,500 LifeMiles for transcontinental economy itineraries, such as Newark to San Francisco (Region 1 to Region 3).
LifeMiles awards outside the U.S.
While not the absolute best Star Alliance carrier award chart, the LifeMiles award chart still features plenty of sweet spots with ample opportunities to obtain miles. Additionally, the lack of carrier-imposed surcharges makes these sweet spots even sweeter. There are some redemptions where LifeMiles may not have the cheapest price in terms of miles, but using the currency may save you hundreds of dollars in fees.
Unfortunately, the LifeMiles partner award chart is quite complex and convoluted. Here's a look at the previously published Avianca LifeMiles partner award chart. Not all prices are current.
You may be able to zoom in to view award redemptions; however, it's quite difficult to read. That being said, we'll break down some of the sweet spots in this award chart further below.
We suggest using Avianca LifeMiles primarily on partner carriers, as Avianca dynamically prices awards for Avianca flights. The caveat to this is the discount available for booking Avianca award flights well in advance. You can also get a discount on Avianca and partner awards through a LifeMiles+ subscription.
What is not often discussed is that Avianca LifeMiles seems to block certain partner awards. For example, business and first-class seats on ANA that can be found through other partner programs (e.g., United MileagePlus) are often not bookable through LifeMiles. Even seats on United Airlines available to other partners aren't always bookable using LifeMiles. This is one frustrating aspect of the program.
Related: How To Find Partner Airline Award Availability
Best Value Avianca LifeMiles Sweet Spots
Here are some of our favorite Avianca LifeMiles partner award sweet spots:
Domestic United awards from 6,500 LifeMiles
We mentioned this one above, but it deserves a highlight: You can book domestic United awards for as few as 6,500 LifeMiles. And we aren't talking about just a few routes. AwardWallet found over 500 United routes pricing at 6,500 LifeMiles. This even includes short-haul international flights to Mexico and Canada.
The general rule is that your origin and destination need to be less than 500 miles apart — even if you need to connect and end up flying more than 500 miles.
Los Angeles to Hawaii in economy from 15,000 LifeMiles
Who doesn't love the idea of taking a trip to Hawaii? Generally, LifeMiles isn't one of the best ways to fly to Hawaii using points and miles at a general price of 20,000 LifeMiles. However, we found one route that prices differently: Los Angeles to Hawaii prices at a lower 15,000 LifeMiles.
Peculiarly, the route back from Hawaii to Los Angeles costs a bit more: 16,000 LifeMiles.
While there can be better ways to book these same awards, LifeMiles is a top option during a LifeMiles transfer bonus or buy LifeMiles sale.
Northeastern U.S. to Europe for 22,500 LifeMiles in economy, 45k in business class
One of the welcome changes during the recent LifeMiles chart adjustments was a reduction in award rates between the northeastern U.S. and the northern part of Europe. While some LifeMiles awards between the U.S. and Europe cost as much as 44,000 LifeMiles, economy awards on these routes now price at just 22,500 LifeMiles! Eligible routes include Newark to places like London and Dublin.
Even better, you can fly in lie-flat United Polaris business class on these routes for 45,000 LifeMiles. That makes this one of the cheapest business class awards to Europe!
U.S. to South America, starting at 35k LifeMiles in business class
Avianca offers solid redemptions on its partner carriers to South America, especially Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Keep in mind that Avianca redemptions for their own flights can sometimes provide poor value, so we recommend using your miles on partner carriers if you can, including to South America.
However, some decent options remain, such as this flight from Washington, D.C., to Bogota. Unfortunately, this isn't in a lie-flat product, though.
Economy is a solid deal as well, starting at 20,000 LifeMiles.
New York to Cairo in business class from 70,000 LifeMiles
One of the exceptions noted in the award chart above is the route between New York (JFK) and Cairo (CAI). For some reason, this route prices at 70,000 LifeMiles each way — instead of the 78,000 LifeMiles pricing to other parts of Northern Africa and the Middle East.
U.S. to Eastern Europe (and beyond) in business class for 70k LifeMiles (or less)
If you're flying beyond the most northern areas of Europe or flying from the West Coast of the United States, you'll pay around 70,000 miles for business class. Compared to what many carriers charge, this is still a solid deal. This even applies if you mix carriers.
Here is an example itinerary from New York-Newark to Lisbon for 69,000 LifeMiles:
Some other itineraries available are:
- San Francisco to Zurich for 75,000 miles in SWISS business class
- Chicago to Munich for 69,000 miles in Lufthansa business class
- San Francisco to Istanbul for 69,000 miles in Turkish Airlines business class
Why it's cheaper to fly Istanbul nonstop instead of Zurich nonstop from San Francisco puzzles me, as it is a longer flight. This is yet another of the many oddities of the LifeMiles pricing model.
U.S. to Europe in Lufthansa First Class for 120k LifeMiles
Although the old price of 87,000 miles for first class was far more attractive, spending 120,000 for the luxury that Lufthansa First offers is still a deal worth considering. Especially considering that other currencies with excellent pricing (e.g., ANA Mileage Club) pass along Lufthansa's massive (and sometimes unbearable) surcharges.
For context, the same flight purchased with United MileagePlus miles costs 165,000 miles for first class. United also lacks carrier-imposed fees, but the mileage savings by booking through LifeMiles is substantial.
U.S. to the Middle East in business class for 78k LifeMiles
Avianca's Middle East redemptions are also available at a solid price. Being more expensive than flying to Europe and slightly cheaper than flying to South or Central Asia, a business-class ticket on SWISS from the United States to Dubai via Zurich will only cost 78,000 miles.
U.S. to Australia or New Zealand in business class for 80k LifeMiles
Another Avianca sweet spot is the U.S. to Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific islands in Oceania for just 80,000 miles in business. Considering that the flight can be upwards of 15 hours, this is an incredible deal — especially compared to redeeming 60,000 miles for a business-class ticket to Europe.
Europe to India in first class for just 60k LifeMiles
For travelers who want to get from Europe to India (or vice versa) in luxury, redeeming 60,000 miles to fly Lufthansa first class from Munich to Delhi is amazing value, especially when tickets on this nonstop can retail for more than $6,000!
Other awards offering fantastic value include business-class redemptions between Europe and Asia, letting you fly in premium cabins on some rather lengthy routes for a great price. But, of course, the ability to redeem miles for Lufthansa First Class without ridiculous surcharges takes the cake.
Related: How To Book Lufthansa First Class Using Miles
Europe to Japan in business class for 75k LifeMiles
Flying from Europe to Japan is a solid deal at 75,000 LifeMiles, especially when you consider that you can spend over 12 hours on ANA, one of the top airlines in the world.
Benefits and Pitfalls of the Avianca LifeMiles Program
As with all frequent flyer programs, Avianca has its pros and cons.
Avianca LifeMiles pros
- No fuel surcharges on Star Alliance partner awards.
- The majority of Star Alliance partner awards can be booked online with relative ease.
- No close-in booking fees.
- Can split flights with connections into business and economy, which often saves miles.
- Buy up to 60% of the miles required for an award via LifeMiles + Cash.
- LifeMiles won’t expire if you have qualifying activity in your account within 12 months of the last mile earned. Additionally, transferring points from another program typically counts as a qualifying activity.
- Regular bonuses on purchased miles allow you to buy miles for less than 1.3¢ per mile.
The lack of fuel surcharges and close-in penalties is likely the biggest plus for the program.
Avianca LifeMiles cons
- Contacting customer service to handle reservations is difficult and can be an unpleasant experience.
- Flat $25 booking fee across all awards, which is not displayed until checkout.
- High award change ($150) and cancellation fees ($50 for U.S. domestic itineraries, can be up to $200 for international tickets).
- Avianca doesn’t allow stopovers or open jaws on award flights
Avianca’s call center is challenging to deal with if you need to book an award over the phone. The $25 booking fee is unfortunate and annoying on LifeMiles awards for domestic United itineraries, which are otherwise without fees except the required TSA fee.
That being said, it is bearable when you consider the lack of other fees on award tickets. Conversely, the change and cancellation fees are on the higher side compared to other programs.
Bottom Line
Avianca's LifeMiles program has become popular among award-travel enthusiasts. There are several reasons why travelers like the LifeMiles program, ranging from the multitude of credit card programs that can transfer points to LifeMiles to the lack of carrier surcharges on award tickets.
Additionally, the ability to buy LifeMiles with a lucrative bonus is another reason to love the LifeMiles program. The new LifeMiles+ subscriptions are also intriguing, as some let you avoid the egregious LifeMiles award change and cancellation fees.
Simply put, the Avianca LifeMiles program is one of the best ways to redeem airline miles for flights on other Star Alliance carriers. It doesn't matter whether you're flying domestically within the U.S. or on an international ticket across the world.
Even after recent devaluations, the LifeMiles award chart still offers solid value. The biggest downside may be needing to deal with Avianca's customer service, which can test your patience.
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